Butterbeer and Firewhiskey
by InTheMidstOfNovember
Summary: Madam Rosmerta sees James and Lily over the years, from innocent Hogsmeade days to a world torn by war and terror. She sees a young man and woman, who dared to love, to hope, to laugh, even in the face of death.


_December 3, 1973 (3rd Year)_

Watching the third years have their first trips to Hogsmeade was always eventful. There were more than always gasps from the muggleborns and halfbloods, and chattering from the purebloods, trying to mask their own awe.

The brewery and workspace at the back of the Three Broomsticks was full of clattering and voices, and Madam Rosmerta almost didn't notice two pairs of hands taking a swipe at the stores of fire whiskey.

But she does, and she immediately grabs the two boys, one with round framed glasses and messy hair, and the other with grey eyes that were sparkling with mischief.

"Hey, we're old enough," both of them yelped at once.

Shaking her head internally, Rosmerta pushed them out of the kitchens, saying,"If that was your best excuse, you won't survive Professor McGonagall for a month, let alone seven years."

Arriving at the doorway, she stopped her lecture with an attempted stern nod towards the butterbeer crates, before going back to the counter to serve the next customers.

She could see them look at her from the corner of her eye, before shouting after her, "I'm James, and I'm Sirius," before sprinting out the door for Honeydukes.

Rosmerta credited herself with a slight amused smile, before going back to fetching an order of Ogden's Finest Meade.

 _April 5, 1975 (5th Year)_

Over the course of 5 years, Madam Rosmerta had been fully introduced to James Potter and Sirius Black, notable pranksters and brilliant students. They were popular, their teachers said, and many times, she had seen them on dates in the Three Broomsticks. Never were they without a date, but recently, James was famously in love with a fellow Gryffindor girl, Lily Evans, who continuously on a regular basis rejected his invitations to a date.

James and Lily Potter. Now that was a good couple if she saw one, but only if James managed to mature a bit more, and Lily became attracted to him enough.

Lily was always discernible in the busy pub by her fiery hair, and looking over, she could see James's round glassses and their owner conjuring up a bouquet of roses.

Shaking her head, she quickly escaped the scene, which was bound to not amount to any good.

 _June 13, 1977 (7th Year)_

Outside in the cold air, the streets are nearly silent, with scarcely a person walking on the streets. The only sound is the whistling of the wind and the occasional swish of the Azkaban notices taped with a light Sticking charm on the Hogsmeade store windows. But inside the Three Broomsticks, it is warm and cozy and filled with lively chatter of the seventh years graduating in two weeks. Around a table, a group of seventh years raise their glasses filled with fire whiskey in a toast. The firm voice of Dorcas Meadowes chants, "To our futures," which is muttered around the table by the students who know that at this time, their futures won't yield much as much as their lives. A second boisterous chant in the loud voice of Sirius Black yells "Here's to kicking Voldy's ass," garners a far more enthusiastic response.

After a few more rounds, most of the students leave, with only two figures seated around a table. When the light catches off one of the two figures' red hair, Madam Rosmerta recognizes them as James Potter and Lily (soon to be Potter) Evans, if the rumors were anything to go by. Situated by a table near the window, she saw them together, arms around each other, sitting still. They seem to be whispering worriedly, until James Potter takes out his wand with a flourish and points it at the table. The action is so abrupt that both Rosmerta and Lily moved to stop whatever he was going to do but stop when the spell doesn't seem do anything major to the table. When even Lily, the more responsible of the pair doesn't make any further movements to chastise him, Rosmerta ignored it and went back to her task of serving the patrons.

However, when Lily and James finally left, she couldn't contain her curiosity any longer, and under the guise of collecting the empty cups on the tables, she slowly came to the lone table by the window. For a while while she inspected it, Rosmerta didn't seem to see anything different, before bending up and catching sight of the slight carving on the edge, a faint, but legible, "L+J 4 life."

A faint invisibility charm wouldn't hurt to mask it, in order for it to escape being erased by the landlady right?

 _May 31, 1979_

When Lily and James Potter enter the pub, Madam Rosmerta is surprised. It isn't rare to see old students stop by, but it is scarce for a muggleborn and a blood traitor to enter a public place in dark times like these.

The normally vivacious and talkative duo are quiet, with Lily getting up to order a bottle of wine, while James remains at the table by the window, face in his hands.

While helping the new Mrs. Potter uncork the wine, Rosmerta wonders idly who had been attacked or murdered, but quickly ignores those depressing thoughts, as who knew these days? There could be someone being killed right now for all they knew.

A few moments later, while looking about the pub she sees that Lily and James have their heads bowed against each other, so young and yet so tired of the darkness, the wretchedness, drowning their sorrows in each other and a shared bottle of wine, celebrating their lives, reliving the deaths, and being happy to be alive and full of life.

War tore apart families, but also brought others together.

 _January 28, 1980_

The war had officially reached its climax, with fewer to no people willing to set foot outside of their homes. Business was dwindling, and the landlady was planning to close the pub down soon.

Nowadays, there were almost no more goblets and cups to polish, and Rosmerta could fully devote her time to looking around the pub and being idle.

Everything felt dismal, but when she thought of what she had witnessed yesterday, even the coldest parts of her felt warm. Bravery really was for Gryffindors, with the former Head Boy and Head Girl due to expecting a baby in 8 months time. That showed that even during the worst of times, sometimes a tiny glimmer of hope and light could be found in the most unexpected of places.

"A butterbeer and fire whiskey," James had ordered yesterday. Yes, that was exactly how it made her feel. Both warm and nostalgic all over.

 _November 1, 1981_

Underneath the sky lit up with fireworks and filled with busy owls, the pub is full of celebrants. Revelers drink their sorrows away at the bottom of a bottle of rum. Optimists ordering fire whiskey for new beginnings, new hopes. The Three Broomsticks hasn't been so full in months, yet Rosmerta's attention is drawn to the lone table by the window. Lily and James's table, which by some twist of fate, or the fact that it was nearly hidden by the curtains, hadn't been occupied by the celebrators. Her hand stops at its task of polishing the silverware, but she doesn't seem to notice, as she stares at the table, with its worn out honey colored legs and she knows, on its edge the crudely carved words, "L+J 4 life".Some part of her hopes that if she stares at it hard enough, she could catch a glimpse of the familiar flame colored hair and the round frame glasses, but is only met with the stark reality of the dismal empty seats.

That night, she takes the table away, and stores it in the attic, protecting it with numerous protection spells, and never laying eyes on it or its memories again until 13 years later.


End file.
